Not Cut Out For This

Some time ago a lady was committing one of my pet peeves -- she rushed into the MRT head-on as I was about to alight. So I was a bit *grrr* inside, and in a flash of evil I purposedly collided with her.

Then my reflex just kicked in and I turned back to say sorry.

Don't know if I should laugh or hide about this. Harhar. Pretty stupid la.

Again the moral here seems to be that spite never gets me anywhere...

And should get rid of that little devil inside. The stupid reflex should probably stay a little longer until then, if only as a brake.

Well, yeah, though I'd really love to contribute to creating a polite society, it doesn't quite work with our current crowd behavioral pattern. People generally don't respond to such apologies. They just go on their ways. And it's not the rush-hour factor; it's the same thing with weekend mall strolls.

On some occasions there were responses, in the form of nasty glares from those who apparently felt very violated by my bumping into them. Even if, in my just as biased opinion, it was really not my fault. Ah well.

But I'm not alone. There were also people who nicely apologized when they collided with me. And whatever irritation that was about to bloom, just evaporated. See, we're so easy to please. Heh.

As you know I'm kinda influenced by Japanese culture, which from some references seems to be a really polite society. In the same bumping accident, no matter whose fault it is, they are expected to both apologize to each other. (This is from what I read, anyway; people who've been there, please clarify. =))

Of course the Japanese have their share of wild punk lifestyles which are just as extreme... But I guess my wishful point here is that it is not a matter of culture. My "stupid reflex", I'm quite certain, does not come from reading Japanese comics and watching Japanese dramas. (I'd like to think my parents are more prominent in my education than those... I hope.) Maybe someone from social studies will be able to categorize this better.

Like, shouldn't it be basic human instinct to gravitate towards harmonious relationship with their surroundings? Not even touching on kindness yet.

Or maybe, in tribute to the music I've been listening to recently:

I'm only happy when it rains
I feel good when things are going wrong
Pour your misery down
Pour your misery down on me...